Launching Romance into the stars.
Showing posts with label Aliens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aliens. Show all posts

Thursday, June 6, 2013

My love for aliens started with Superman - #scifirom #ManofSteel

In a post earlier this year, I listed several science fiction and science fiction romance movies that I am looking forward to watching this year. Now, most of them I will not get a chance to see in the theaters, but I do hope to catch a couple. The rest I will watch on DVD. I already saw Star Trek Into Darkness at the theater in 3D. LOVED IT! After Earth released last weekend, and I hope to catch that film as well.

The other movie I hope to catch at the theater is Man of Steel. Why? Because I LOVE Superman. I have for as long as I can remember.

I watched the Superman movies when they aired on television (in between my father flicking the channels - Grrr), watched Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, and grew excited when this commercial came on:



And when Warner Bros. brought Smallville to television, I watched that as well. Though, I have to admit, I didn't enjoy Superman Returns, released in 2006. It just didn't do it for me.

Superman remains my addiction, the alien living on Earth, who continuously saves us from ourselves and other extraterrestrials. My hero. I mean, aliens can't be so bad if there are at least some like him. At least, I keep telling myself that. LOL

Anyways, without getting into the science of what aliens actually might look like, I admit, that I prefer the version co-created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel.

With Superman now celebrating 75 years, this movie has a lot to live up to. From the numerous trailers I've seen, it looks great. My fingers are crossed. :)

So, do you plan on watching Man Of Steel, either on the big screen or the video? Or will you pass on Superman?

I leave you with a trailer from Man of Steel, which releases June 14, 2013 (the same day as Another Night, Another Planet):






Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

What DO Aliens Look Like? - part 2 - Science

Thank you for joining me on Backward Momentum! It's time for part two of What DO Aliens Look Like. Today I'm going to focus on some of the theories offered by the scientific community.

From "Through the Wormhole: What Do Aliens Look Like?" on the Science Channel, it is assumed that extraterrestrial life would be both carbon and water-based like us. But due to many factors, including differences in evolution and gravity, life on another planet could be very different from what we know on Earth. Life could be as simple as microbes. But will we ever be truly satisfied until we find intelligent life like us?

   


An article by Seth Shostak, Senior Astronomer, SETI Institute on Space.com suggests extraterrestrial life might be humanoid, like us. And at a former exhibit in Montreal, scientists displayed plausible displays of aliens that might live on other planets with what we would consider, extreme conditions. Those lifeforms resembled creatures on Earth who live in extremely high temperatures and in acidic conditions. Be sure to check out the flying whales, animals that look like plants, and more.


  

  


So, what do YOU think aliens might look like?

Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

What DO aliens look like? Part 1 - Hollywood

While writing my alien romances, I always ask myself, what DO aliens look like? Many have tried to explain what they might resemble, but all our guesses, both fictional and those based on science make the assumption aliens are carbon based lifeforms. What happens if they're not? The possibilities are endless.

Today I'm going to give a glimpse at how Hollywood has portrayed aliens over the years. Next week, I'm going to take a more scientific approach.

Now, in Hollywood, aliens have been those hiding on Earth, trying to blend in or not be found, and also those arriving to take over.

Here are just a sample of the variety of aliens in movies:

Earth Girls Are Easy




Close Encounters of the Third Kind




And here's a top 10 list of Alien races in film from WatchMojo.com:




See any you like? So, based on Hollywood's portrayal of extraterrestrials, what do YOU think an alien might look like? Are there any movies that resemble your idea better?



Bio:

Jessica Subject is the author of contemporary and science fiction romance, ranging from sweet to erotica. In her stories, you could meet clones, or a sexy alien or two. You may even be transported to another planet for a romantic rendezvous.

When Jessica isn't reading, writing, or doing dreaded housework, she likes to get out and walk. Fast. But she just may slow down if there is a waterfall nearby.

Jessica lives in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two energetic children. And she loves to hear from her readers. You can find her at jessicasubject.com and on twitter @jsubject.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

No Aliens - Guest Post by Author Cathy Pegau


Three Reasons I Don’t Write Aliens
And Three Reasons Maybe I Should

Guest Post by Cathy Pegau


At this point, I haven’t written alien species as the main characters or hero/heroine in my science fiction romance. Not that I have anything against them. Some of my best friends are from space. No wait, that’s spacey. Never mind. Anyway, all of the inhabitants of my worlds are plain ol’ human beings. Here are some reasons why I stick to the species I know best (even if the men make me shake my head in wonder at times : ) And reasons why maybe I should give the green guys a try ; )

1.      Known biology. For the most part, I know how humans function. By using them, I don’t have to worry about all that messy science : P Kidding. I love biology. Creating a new species has its appeal; I just haven’t had the inspiration to do so.

On the other hand….There are GOBS of configurations of body parts and subsequent positionings that could make a story…um…interesting. Create your own species? Hmm. Give them sensitive areas or erogenous zones that aren’t typical or expected? Hmmm…

2.      What are the chances of humanoid life out there? I’m guessing pretty low. For the sake of my novels, the species we’ve encountered aren’t more intelligent than animals, let alone candidates for potential mates.

On the other hand…The point of speculative fiction is to, in fact, speculate! What if there are species just waiting for us to reach a certain maturity? Or on their way and we have yet to invent the technology to detect them? There are many reasons why we haven’t bumped into aliens at this point, but that doesn’t mean we won’t. Just because we’re barely out of our own cosmic backyard doesn’t mean we’re alone in the neighborhood.

3.      The Human Condition. I’m no expert in this field (or any other, for that matter) but like most writers I’m fascinated by human interaction. Why are these two people attracted to each other? What is it about the other person that makes them rail and shake their fists while wanting to kiss them? How can the characters get over their differences (some of which are so opposing they’re often enemies in the beginning of romances) to come together (heheh. “come together” heheh. Sorry. Carry on…)

On the other hand…What better way to explore our humanity than through the eyes (or whatever ocular mechanism) of an alien species? And if there is a way for two characters to be any more different and possibly at odds than by being different species, I’d like to know what it is.

So I guess there’s no real reason for me NOT to take a stab at an alien romance. But I’ll tell you right now, I think I will be drawing the line at anything that includes tentacles. Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

********************************************************

Cathy Pegau can’t seem to write anything that doesn’t include some sort of foray into a different reality. Her debut novel, Rulebreaker, came out in August 2011. Her second novel from Carina Press, Caught in Amber, releases January 28, 2013. The third book set on the mining colony of Nevarro, Deep Deception, comes out in May 2013.

Find Cathy at her website.
Or drop her a note on Twitter or Facebook








Thursday, September 27, 2012

Aliens: Mission of Peace or Invasion?

I was thinking of all of the science fiction movies that I have involving aliens the other day, and how many of them actually show aliens in a positive light. Some do, but most do not. Here's my list of movies:

Avatar - The people from Pandora are friendly, only wanting to protect their land. Those from Earth are the invaders here, and we didn't go there with the intentions of peace.

Chicken Little - This involves a full-out invasion. But not to take over, just to find little Kirby.

Contact - While the aliens in this movie contact us through mathematical messages, Ellie Arroway is the only one to have any personal contacts with the beings from outer space. I like to believe these extraterrestrials are peaceful.

The Day the Earth Stood Still - These aliens want to restore peace to Earth and believe killing off only the people do so.

I Am Number Four - The aliens come here to hide, but the bounty hunters after them will destroy anything that gets in their way. So, no invasion, but not necessarily peaceful either.

Independence Day - This one is a full-scale invasion, but the world actually unites to protect what is ours.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - The aliens in this movie came here to teach us, but those who aren't worthy, do not survive.

Megamind - While two aliens come to Earth as babies, one grows up to be a superhero, and the other an evil villain. In this movie, they both discover their true destinies. No invasion.

Men In Black - In the first two movies (haven't seen third yet), both types of aliens are here, and the Men In Black keep them under control.

Monsters vs. Aliens - Definitely an invasion, and it is not the army who is sent to defeat them, but the monsters.

I have more, but they tend to include both types of aliens.

In my story Crash Landing, which releases tomorrow, Cael comes to Earth on a mission of peace. But what he experiences comes as a complete surprise.

Here's the blurb:

As his ship plummets toward Earth, Cael believes his life to be over. His last ditch effort to save himself ends in a fiery crash. When he wakes up, he believes he’s entered the afterlife, but his surroundings indicate otherwise. He made it to Earth. But who saved him, and what do they want with him?

Crash Landing will be available from Decadent Publishing, Amazon, and All Romance eBooks later today, and at many other ebook retailers tomorrow. More information and buy links posted here.

And an excerpt:

Cael gripped the cushioned arms of the captain’s chair as his ship tumbled bow over stern. The console flashed a blinding red in front of him. Piercing alarms drilled into his mind and he lost focus. The seconds raced by as he plummeted toward Earth. He’d fucked up this mission of peace. Contact with his home planet had ended months ago. No one from Narien could save him now. His death was imminent.

The water below wouldn’t soften his landing. At its current speed, his ship would disintegrate on splashdown. The planet’s gravity pulled him down faster.

He coughed; the acrid scent of fried electronics stung his nose and the back of his throat. Please let my death be quick. 

A rattling to the left caught his attention above all other noise. The handle on the cabin door shook. Freedom. It wasn’t his time to die, if he could get out.

The altimeter on the dashboard read six thousand meters, high enough to jump and land safely with his chute. Only to land in frigid water and die of exhaustion or hypothermia from treading without any hope of a rescue.

“Shit.” But he’d die if he stayed. He had to take the chance. Yanking off his safety harness, he pulled himself to standing and strained to reach the recess where his pack hung. Stretching up, he fingered the cloth strap. Not close enough to grab hold of it.

The ship jolted and flung him to the stern. He weaved his arm through the straps of the pack on his way past, dislodging it from the hook. Yes. 

His triumph was short-lived as he flew starboard, smashing his shoulder against the wall. He groaned when an electrifying spasm shot down his arm to the tips of his fingers. The ship lurched again, and he tumbled back toward the console. He grabbed the door, his feet dangling in mid air. If he didn’t get out now, he’d forfeit any chance to survive.

The ship righted again. He planted his feet against the bottom of the door and twisted the crank. The latch snapped open, filling him with a sense of hope. Careful to keep at least one hand on the handle at all times, he slung the pack over his shoulders.

All set. Time to jump. Pushing off the floor, he slammed his uninjured shoulder against the door. It blew open and tore away from its hinges, lost to the sky.

Cael teetered on the edge before plunging out of his failing ship. Wind whipped all around him as he twisted to catch his bearing during freefall.

Glancing down, he spied crystal blue lake, much closer than he’d expected. Too close.

He jerked the cord on his chute–several hundred feet lower than he should have. At least. His feet skimmed the cold waves just as his chute caught the current and heaved him back into the air.

The ship splashed into the water beside him, disintegrating into millions of pieces. He raised his hands in front of his face as shrapnel flew at him. Tiny shards sliced into his arms and legs, but the extreme heat from the cloud of steam billowing up at him stung the most.

From the moment his toes touched down in the once frigid water, his skin sizzled. He screamed in agony. His death would have been quicker and less agonizing if he’d remained in the ship.

A hard piece of his spacecraft smashed down on his head, and he welcomed the darkness.

***

So, what do you think? When first contact happens, will they be peaceful, or ready to take over our planet?

***

Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

I LOVE blue aliens...

I admit it, I have a thing for blue aliens. When writing my alien romance stories, I could choose any other colored skin to give my extraterrestrial heroes, but I always wind up making them blue.

Blue is a relaxing color for me. It’s the color of my office, of jeans which I love to wear, of my bed sheets, and of the sky. Isn’t it relaxing to simply stare up into a clear blue sky?

But blue can also mean sadness and vulnerability. All of my blue aliens are vulnerable, afraid of not being accepted because they are so different from the women they long for.

And maybe I find blue to be sexy as well. ;)

It’s no wonder the alien heroes in Celestial Seduction, Satin Sheets in Space, and An Unexpected Return are blue. It’s my comfort color, and it makes them less scary for me.




Here are some excerpts from my stories that have blue aliens:

Celestial Seduction:

(celebrates one-year book birthday on July 1)

He smiled, some of his confidence back while his human image flickered for a few seconds before completely disappearing. Unsure what to expect, she tried not to judge until she’d set eyes on his entire figure. Long, spindly fingers intertwined with hers. He tried to let go, but she held them tight. His body appeared taller and leaner than before. She saw the same black eyes, a less prominent nose and barely visible ears. His hair became jet black and appeared longer and curlier than before. Underneath luminescent scales, his skin shone a light blue.
“So, what do you think?” His mouth quirked, revealing his uncertainty.
Except for their color, his lips were the only thing that didn’t change. She leaned towards him, wondering if they would still feel the same. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to reach him, but wrapping her arms around his neck helped. The feel of his skin surprised her. Perhaps he didn’t have scales, but the pattern lay beneath his skin.
He’s beautiful.

Satin Sheets in Space:

She shivered at the sound of the deep, sexy voice. Spinning around, she gazed up at an enormous, captivating man. Very rarely did she meet a guy so much taller than herself. His black velvet justacorps fit tight across his broad shoulders, but not too snug. And the silk shirt lining his wide chest matched the color of her dress. Almost as if they were made for each other. I can only hope.
Flowing down his back, his long, thick, dark mane appeared to have feathers throughout. In the dim lighting, his hair, and even his skin had a faint blue glow. She couldn’t help but be enthralled by his presence; was sure she stood in front of him with her mouth hanging open.

An Unexpected Return:

Walking into the silky rear-end of an oroke, she came to an abrupt halt. The creature had been walking at a steady pace and then stopped. She’d failed to notice in time. Wiping fluff off her face, she turned around and walked into another hard body. “I’m so sorry.”
Hands clamped down on her arms. “Are you all right?”
She stared up into deep brown eyes. Chewing her bottom lip, she nodded. If this man hadn’t been holding on to her, she would have fallen to the ground. The word swoon held no meaning for her until now.
Am I only like this because of the eletin I inhaled back home? Or was there something more she found heart-racing about the blue-skinned, well-muscled hunk of an Otarian who held her up?
No, she couldn’t feel anything for him. Their races had been sworn enemies for years. Everyone across the galaxy knew that. Yet here she was, standing face to face, gazing intently at him, with no will to move.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

What I'm Reading - It's a MUST READ!

It's my day to post again, and I'm dealing with a sketchy internet connection. I'm trying to get this post up before it goes out again. Eek!

Anyways, I have two releases coming out at the end of this month. Satin Sheets in Space, which releases May 29 is my fourth 1Night Stand story. While it has a new heroine and heroes (Yes, I said heroes ;) ) there are characters mentioned in the story that made an appearance in my previous 1Night Stand stories. The second release is An Unexpected Return which is the second book to be released in Decadent Publishing's new science fiction romance line, Elatia.

But enough about them! I wanted to tell you about this awesome book that I'm reading. Some author friends of mine recommended the book Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout to me the last time I saw them. I'd seen the book many times, added it to my TBR list, but waited to buy it. I already had a bunch of short stories and books to read. So, knowing that I love alien stories, they said I'd love it. And I do. Seriously, I have it sitting beside me right now. I hate to put it down. The characters are fabulous, strong-willed, but not perfect, not even the hot alien. The story is completely believable and has sucked me right in.

Now, I am regretting not reading it sooner. It is YA, so not as much romance and explicitness as some of the stories I read, but it doesn't matter. This books simply rocks. And while I haven't finished the story yet, it's heading toward my favorite book ever. Definitely my favorite YA.

Here's the blurb:

Starting over sucks.When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.And then he opened his mouth.Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. The hot alien living next door marks me.You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. If I don't kill him first, that is.


So, what are you reading?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

I'm editing, so here's an excerpt...

Yesterday I was busy working on edits for both of my upcoming May releases, so my mind is like mush. Instead of coming up with an interesting post, I thought I'd just share an excerpt with you from Satin Sheets in Space, which releases May 29 from Decadent Publishing. It is a M/F/M menage which is part of their 1Night Stand line.

Her partner for the evening pulled her close as the music slowed. “Thank the gods they changed the music. I need to be closer to you.”
Gods? A different religion, perhaps? She didn’t care. Desire coursed through her from head to toe. He could touch and taste every inch, without any objection from her.
He leaned down, his warm breath grazing her neck. Her nipples perked, pressed against his hard body.
“I noticed the galaxy on your shoulder.”
She sighed with disappointment, having expected him to kiss her. “Yes, I have a tattoo.”
Would a little ink stand in their way? She tried to pull away, to brace for his dismissal, but his hold on her never faltered.
“I like it. Why did you choose the Milky Way?”
Releasing the breath she’d been holding, Danyka smiled with relief. Her cheeks ached from the joy this man brought her. “It’s a tribute to my father. We’d often lie on the back lawn and watch the stars. He taught me about the constellations in our galaxy, and many other celestial bodies throughout the universe.”
A wave of sadness washed over her. She missed those moments, and her father.
Her date brushed his thumb along her cheek, bringing her attention back to him. “And what did he teach you about the possibility of other life—out in space?”
Did she really want to ruin this evening with talk of her belief in aliens? No.
He raised his eyebrows, waiting for an answer.
Oh hell. “He told me not to assume Earth is the only planet in the universe capable of sustaining life.”
“So you believe?”
“In a matter of speaking, yes.” There, she’d said it. Now watch him run. “But I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone from another world.”
His placed gentle kisses across her neck, lighting a fire deep in her core. “I believe, too.”
And if you want to see the smokin' cover for Satin Sheets in Space, head on over to Layna Pimentel's blog where I'm revealing it there.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

All Too Human - Guest Post by S. Evan Townsend



My latest novel, Rock Killer, is science fiction but there are no aliens in it.  That's because of when and where it's set (not too far in the future, and only in our solar system).  But also because I'm not very good at writing about aliens.  I admit this about my writing.  Last time I tried to do aliens they looked like cockroaches and had a matriarchal society (I made the males unintelligent).  But to me they just didn't ring true.

I read a lot of science fiction.  This means I read a lot about aliens.  And while most of the time the aliens are interesting and add something to the story, I have to suspend my disbelief because every alien I meet in science fiction is, in my opinion, too human.  Which makes sense because the writers are human, the readers are human, and it would be difficult for them to understand a totally alien species as it would be to understand the motivations of a slime mold.  But you have things like humans and aliens falling in love.  Which would be about as likely as an artichoke falling in love with a human.  The biology is just not there.  And even though I love Mr. Spock, two species that evolved on different planets mating and producing offspring is completely unlikely.  Again, you'd have more luck trying to mate a human and an artichoke.

This is partially why I don't buy the little green men and UFOs.  The aliens described by those who claim to have been abducted are too human.  Maybe by some evolutionary chance the basic humanoid form would be most efficient even for a species that evolved millions of light years away.  But evolution is random.  So you'd think any combination that could work would work.  Also (and this may be me projecting my human values on aliens), I doubt they would expend all the resources needed for interstellar travel to anally probe a few rednecks (are they that hard up for dates?).   But alien motivations should be completely alien to us.   It's possible that if we saw a real life alien, we might not even recognize it as such.  Arthur C. Clark said that any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.   We might think aliens were wizards.  We might think they are ghosts.  Maybe they travel in the fifth dimension and we don't see them at all.

One thing I've often wondered about aliens (assuming they exist and this universe seems too big for them not to somewhere), is would they have the same values we'd have? For instance, would their laws of economics be the same.  Our economic laws are, after all, based on human behavior.  The law of supply and demand, for instance.  The more something costs, the less that people want it.  But maybe to an alien, the more something costs the more they want it.  Why not?  But then maybe because resources are finite (unless you invent something that makes them infinite), the law of supply and demand is universal.

If aliens do come for a visit (or we meet them in space) they are likely to be so much more advanced than us that we'd be like ants to them. It could be they have already been here, seen us, and decided we're not an ant pile worth stepping on.   They would probably be hundreds of thousands of years ahead of us, if not millions of years.  Why?  Because they couldn't be much behind us because they wouldn't be in space and the universe is billions of years old so odds are they started gaining intelligence millions of years ago rather than closer to when we did. That means if we meet the Klingons or the Kzin, and they are hostile, chances are, we'll lose.

I'll continue to read and watch science fiction and enjoy alien interactions.  But I will always think of aliens, such as Mr. Spock, the way Captain Kirk described him: "Human."

Rock Killer Blurb: 

Space Resources, Inc. (SRI) mines asteroids for the riches a populated Earth needs without degrading the planet.  Yet there are those opposed to progress in whatever its form such as the Gaia Alliance, a front group for eco-terrorists.  During a violent attack on the Moon, the terrorists steal an exploration ship, arm it, and rename it the Rock Killer.

Charlene "Charlie" Jones of SRI security is trying to infiltrate the Gaia Alliance's cabal to find evidence linking them to the murder of her fiancé.  But a run-in with the law threatens to reveal her identity to the dangerous men of the Alliance.

Simultaneously, SRI Director Alexander Chun is traveling to the asteroid belt to bring a kilometer-long nickel-iron rock back to Earth orbit to mine for its valuable metals.  Following him and his multi-national team is the Rock Killer.  Without armaments, millions of miles from help, Chun must stop those who threaten him and the lives of his crew.

Author Bio:

S. Evan Townsend is a writer living in central Washington State. After spending four years in the U.S. Army in the Military Intelligence branch, he returned to civilian life and college to earn a B.S. in Forest Resources from the University of Washington. In his spare time he enjoys reading, driving (sometimes on a racetrack), meeting people, and talking with friends. He is in a 12-step program for Starbucks addiction. Evan lives with his wife and two sons, aged 17 and 20, and has a 22-year old son attending the University of Washington in biology. He enjoys science fiction, fantasy, history, politics, cars, and travel.


Rock Killer Excerpt:
DeWite moved into the observation room and Prince followed.
The room looked almost exactly like a bar since it was a VIP lounge for watching ships land and take off. A large window looked over the shipyard, where various types of spacecraft were resting on the lunar dust. The window, made of Crysteel, invented by SRI's orbital laboratories, began about half a meter from the floor and extended to the ceiling and was about five meters wide. Crysteel, made in a factory in Earth orbit one atom at a time, was almost as strong as aluminum. Its one weakness was a very high index of refraction due to tightly packed oxygen atoms. It made great lenses but was not good for use where a clear view was needed such as spaceship windows and pressure suit helmets. But the picture window in the lounge would have been impractical without the Crysteel.
Four pressure-suited figures were moving across the plain. The suits were not SRI issue and they were carrying submachine guns. DeWite recognized them as a South African made 9 millimeter caseless that were favored by criminals who bought them on the black market.
One, carrying a 40-millimeter recoilless rifle, knelt just a few meters from the window and aimed. Fire shot out of the rear of the weapon, dying almost immediately in the airless environment. A flame licked a small intra-lunar shuttle followed by an explosion. The ship's skin crumpled and it folded in on itself in a slow, macabre death dance. An explosion marked the rupture of the fuel tanks. Fire burned until the oxygen ran out.
"Goddamnit!" DeWite exploded. "We need to get to the airlock."
Just then one of the four figures outside noticed the two Security guards. He tapped the others on their shoulders and pointed. The other three turned and again the recoilless rifle spat a fleeting flame. DeWite dived behind the bar—an easy task in the low gravity. The window exploded inward. Prince was thrown against the rear wall, his body shattered by the impact. Then the window exploded outward as the room decompressed. Prince's body was slammed against the bottom of the window and sucked out into the harsh sunlight.
DeWite heard the emergency door slam shut locking him in the room. He knew it would never open until the pressure in the room equalized with the pressure in the hall.
He stood, aimed his shotgun, braced his leg behind to compensate for the low gravity, and fired. He was surprised he heard it at all. Must still be a little air in the room, some part of him thought.
The figure with the recoilless rifle was thrown back and blood ejaculated from its torn body. It was freeze-dried before it hit the lunar plain. The remaining figures turned with their weapons firing. DeWite barely heard the bullets hitting the wall behind him. His ears felt as if they were going to explode. He screamed, not in fear, but to empty his lungs to prolong his already forfeit life a few more seconds.
Pump, FIRE, Pump, FIRE, Pump was DeWite's whole existence. Another figure crumpled, spouting blood. Then the bullets ripped into DeWite. Blood flowed like a fire hose. FIRE—DeWite could no longer stand, even in one-sixth gravity. He sank to the floor and died in a puddle of his blood that was boiling and freezing simultaneously.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Music about aliens

Just like in fiction, there is quite a bit of music out in the world that mentions aliens. The three I automatically think of are:








and Spaceman by Bif Naked.

But looking online, there are so many others, including:

Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft by The Carpenters

Starman by David Bowie

Intergalactic by the Beastie Boys

It Came Out of the Sky by Credence Clearwater Revival

So, what songs do you know of that talk about aliens?

Friday, March 16, 2012

Dangerous vs. Gentle Alien Descriptions

This is for @Lexcade who requested this post for last weeks blog.

Crafting a believable alien in written form starts with the point of view. If the POV is coming from a human or pre-established non-human character, their view of the alien is what the reader needs first. Even if it differs from the writers knowledge of the alien character.

For example, if the alien comes across as gentle and non-threatening to the main character those are the characteristics that are highlighted in the description. A full description leaves less to the imagination and complete descriptions lend to the assumption that there is nothing to hide.

If the alien is seen as threatening then a limited number of threatening features are highlighted. Leaving more up to the readers imagination increases the intensity of the scenes (i.e. not seeing the shark in Jaws or the full Alien in the movie right away). Describing a haunting gaze with a gravely voice allows the readers to pull their own fears and nightmares into the story and connecting with it on a level that would be difficult to achieve otherwise.

I wrote a poem a while back that walked the line between the two.

Shadow Guardian


He lurks around corners
in the background
where no one will notice
eyes piercing the darkness

His presence is felt
seen only in glimpses

He is a shadow himself

Watching smirkingly
he guards those who walk in gray
who are as much light as dark
who balance between seen and unseen

He keeps us from falling into blackness
and gently pulls us from the blinding light
His presence first met with fear
is now reluctantly welcomed
even needed

A shadow guardian
lives a lonely existence
on the fringe of society
that survives
because He is there

© Graylin Fox 2010